Over the course of our Transforming Learning Through ICT, we have learnt how important it is to incorporate ICT into students' learning. We have used our personal skills and previously acquired skills to help build on our knowledge to help us become better teachers who actively incorporate ICT resources into our everyday lessons. This final ICT project we have prodcued consisted of two components; proto-typing and publishing. Our completed wiki space is our main resource that we can take away from this unit.
Our resource filled blog is a great way for us to keep track of all we were learning about and for us to use in our classrooms as a resource later on down the track. The areas of the learning theory that we had to include in our ICT project were active, constructive, authentic, cooperative and intentional. Below you can see how we have chosen to incorporate these into our four ICT based lessons.
Overall, this ICT intergration project has provided us with the means of understanding how ICT is not a cause for concern but a chance to enhance the students' learning. We should not plan our lessons around ICT but introduce ICT as a tool for learning.
SPIDERSCRIBE/PROJECT PLAN PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN LESSON PLANS
We chose to include these types of ICT due to their relevance in the classroom. We believe that an online blog is a great way to keep students up to date and on task. It allows students to work at their own pace but also keep all their work in one place. Youtube is a great resource that can be used in many different ways. We chose to use it to show students animal videos so they could make connections between themselves and the animal world. We used resources such as stinto, wordle and wallwisher because of the simplicity of each of them. It is an easy, quick way for students to upload their thoughts in a whole class setting. We also included many animal websites as places to look for information. This was great for the students also because it makes them responsible for their own learning. When students independently search for information they can develop confidence. The websites we looked at, such as WWF, were very good websites that were up to date and supported the curriculum we wanted to teach our students. Another resource we used was skype education. This is a fabulous resource which allows the teacher and his or her class to explore another zoo in another country without leaving the classroom. Lastly, the online activity games we played in lesson one and two are great team building games to complete as a class on an interactive whiteboard. Online games can be very stimulating for students in a classroom setting.
LEARNING THEORY
Constructivism is understood as a theory of knowledge. It argues the idea that humans generate new knowledge through connections of their experiences and their environment. That is we relate new with old to build a better understanding.
Description
Demonstration
Active
Students use knowledge that they have learnt and demonstrate their understandings through an activity.
Students have the opportunity to learn about endangered animals and then demonstrate their understanding through blog entries
Constructive
Students integrate new ideas through prior knowledge.
Students are asked to use their previous knowledge when it came to exploring the term 'endangered'
Authentic
A student learning is placed in context of today.
Students use the technology and resources of today to construct their personal meanings of the topic.
Co-operative
Students are given the opportunity to work within a social or community setting, enabling them to gain a different perspective of knowledge.
Students are asked to work together to produce a classroom blog and required to engage with their peers whilst undertaking activities utilising the interactive whiteboard.
Intentional
Students need to be provided with the opportunity to fulfil their own goals.
Students are required to meet goals and outcomes of the provided lessons. This is specifically shown in the completion of their blog. Students need to accept responsibility in planning and delivering their work on time and at a high quality.
Introducing the constructivism theory into the classroom allows the students to understand the interaction between their experiences and ideas; which is providing students an opportunity to connect with new material and eagerness to learn. It also provides a shift from teacher-centred learning to more child-centred learning allowing them to take responsibility for and be in charge of their own learning.
Reference
Jongste, J. (2012) Constructivism. Unpublished powerpoint provided from the University Of Notre Dame, Australia, under ICT.
Our resource filled blog is a great way for us to keep track of all we were learning about and for us to use in our classrooms as a resource later on down the track. The areas of the learning theory that we had to include in our ICT project were active, constructive, authentic, cooperative and intentional. Below you can see how we have chosen to incorporate these into our four ICT based lessons.
Overall, this ICT intergration project has provided us with the means of understanding how ICT is not a cause for concern but a chance to enhance the students' learning. We should not plan our lessons around ICT but introduce ICT as a tool for learning.
SPIDERSCRIBE/PROJECT PLAN
PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN
LESSON PLANS
ICT ELEMENTS
Lesson One:
- Youtube clip
- Stinto
- Wordle
- Online Activities
- Online blog
Lesson Two:- Animal websites
- Skype education
- Online blog
- WWF website
Lesson Three:- Elephant website
- Photostory
- Online Blog
Fact File SheetLesson Four:
We chose to include these types of ICT due to their relevance in the classroom. We believe that an online blog is a great way to keep students up to date and on task. It allows students to work at their own pace but also keep all their work in one place. Youtube is a great resource that can be used in many different ways. We chose to use it to show students animal videos so they could make connections between themselves and the animal world. We used resources such as stinto, wordle and wallwisher because of the simplicity of each of them. It is an easy, quick way for students to upload their thoughts in a whole class setting. We also included many animal websites as places to look for information. This was great for the students also because it makes them responsible for their own learning. When students independently search for information they can develop confidence. The websites we looked at, such as WWF, were very good websites that were up to date and supported the curriculum we wanted to teach our students. Another resource we used was skype education. This is a fabulous resource which allows the teacher and his or her class to explore another zoo in another country without leaving the classroom. Lastly, the online activity games we played in lesson one and two are great team building games to complete as a class on an interactive whiteboard. Online games can be very stimulating for students in a classroom setting.
LEARNING THEORY
Constructivism is understood as a theory of knowledge. It argues the idea that humans generate new knowledge through connections of their experiences and their environment. That is we relate new with old to build a better understanding.
Introducing the constructivism theory into the classroom allows the students to understand the interaction between their experiences and ideas; which is providing students an opportunity to connect with new material and eagerness to learn. It also provides a shift from teacher-centred learning to more child-centred learning allowing them to take responsibility for and be in charge of their own learning.
Reference
Jongste, J. (2012) Constructivism. Unpublished powerpoint provided from the University Of Notre Dame, Australia, under ICT.